Too Much?

I don't know... do you think this is too much?

Nahhh... that's the beauty of Christmas decorating... the more the merrier!  Happy Holidays everyone!

Needle Felted Angel Flying to Australia!

I had a custom order for a wonderful customer in Australia.  She wanted a cream and gold Angel and having only ever done one other Angel before I was a little nervous to try it again.

Between rain drops yesterday I managed to get a few pictures of her.  I thought she really blended in well with the brown leaves and red berries.

I gave her wings a quilted look and no, it's just the picture that makes the lines look so crooked!

After a lot of nervousness I listed her and waited to see if she was what the customer wanted.  Whew!  She loved her and she's now flying her way to Australia!  Safe flight my little one!

It's All About the Pink! More Needle Felted Santas Have Arrived!

Pink... sigh.... my happy colour!   I dyed a batch of wool to just the perfect shade of pink and chaos ensued!  I just couldn't stop myself from making more and more pink Christmas items!  Below are the results of a pink felting frenzy!  This little Snow woman is dressed in her lovely pink cloak ready to met her boyfriend. 

 Grandfather Christmas looking very regal with his staff.

A Santa loaded up with presents and a tree.

A fun little Elf or Santa... either way he is Fat... sorry, make that Fluffy!

 A special order Santa made for a woman who's entire house is filled with pink items... including a pink microwave!

The newest addition to the pink family of Santas.  He has his own pastel presents behind him to help him stand.

See!  I couldn't stop myself!!  I love pink!!

A Day of Crochet, Knitting and Chatting Part Two

What a fantastic day we had talking, crocheting, eating, laughing and knitting!

We had so much fun I actually forgot to take any pictures of us working on our projects!  I did, however, get Mom to take a picture of her shawl and send to me.  She did the main piece in knitting and I added a crocheted trim.  We call it her "Spiderweb" because the yarn for so delicate!

We also had a friend join us for lunch!  We had pizza and she had apples!

She is a young doe from last year that came to visit all winter.  If you look closely you can see her front right leg is held up?  She had something wrong with her leg and can't walk on it, but she made it through last winter and she even has a baby with her this year!

Here she is eating the apples we threw out for her.  Mom has this window completely decorated in glass snowflakes and icicles.  The make the loveliest tinkeling noise when you brush them!

Mom's famous popcorn balls!   One of the first times she made them she didn't add the cellophane.  She hung them from the tree on Christmas Eve and in the morning, the floor was littered with popcorn balls and the tree still had the candy canes!  After that she wrapped them up in cellophane and ties them with a pretty red ribbon!

Tea anyone?

Pretty little jewel boxes collected over the years.

A favourite elf from our childhood.   Merry Christmas everyone!

Smiles All Around!

I simply love Christmas Decorations, they just make me SMILE!! It's the one time of year when you can just go WAY over the top!

This is part of set of Santa mugs that we used when we were kids. My two big brothers and I would come in from the barn, or ice skating on the pond, or a big snow ball fight and Mom would have hot chocolate heated on the wood stove for us. I smile every time I bring these out and think of those happy, happy times.

I picked this little guy up at a craft show I was in quite a few years ago. His pipe cleaner legs are starting to fall off, but he still makes me smile.

This fantastic elf was bought in a Christmas Store in Fredericton when I was at University (UNB). He traveled with me to every new apartment or house and was gently placed on my bed stand so that at Christmas time he would be the first thing I would see in the morning. He would put a smile on my face to think that exams would soon be over and I could go home. The little wobbly doll is something I've had since childhood and now, because of her colours, I bring her out at Christmas time.

This is another thing that always makes me smile. I love to pick out a tiny little Poinsettia, add some moss and plop it in a teacup. This the first year I couldn't find a pink one that I liked, but I'm pleased with the dark rich red of this one.

Wildlife Christmas

I like to decorate my kitchen window in a wildlife theme. Of course this lets me buy more blown glass ornaments!

A cute little bunny sitting next to a pine cone.

A raccoon begging for kitchen scraps!

Chickadee, squirrel and a little rabbit.

Another bunny with a silver acorn bell and a golden walnut.

A brother to the brown bunny, a beaver and that tiny little ball sitting in the tree is a hedgehog!

Sneak Peak

I'm working on my kitchen window sill, but I haven't quite got it right yet. Here is a sneak peak of what I have so far! More to come tomorrow!

Christmas Music and Special Memories

Last night while I was decorating the house, I was listening to a Christmas CD that I made of some of my favorite Christmas music. Notes of brilliance wafted through the house...Ave Maria, Greensleeves, Silver Bells, Edelweiss, The Muppet's.....The Muppet's?! Yes, the Muppet's Christmas Album is my all time Christmas favorite! Growing up in the country we didn't have access to all the Christmas music that we have today. Albums were hard to find and the money was tight, but John Denver and the Muppet's filled our old farm house with such cheer! I laugh at Miss Piggy's dismay at "Piggy Pudding!?", smile at Animal's break out of Christmas Cheer, dream about Alfie the Christmas tree and cry a little when I hear "When the River Meets the Sea". I had the best childhood! Thanks Mom!

Trimming The "Trees"

I simply love trees and having grown up in the forestry industry and then marrying a Forester, I allow myself to collect "Christmas Trees". I don't really have a choice, do I?

My forest of trees has expanded over the years and I have to move it to a bigger and bigger surface. The last two years it has found a place of honour on my fireplace in my bedroom.

This little Charlie Brown tree followed me home today!

This little tree helps me cover two collections: tree AND blown glass!

Opps, this little set followed me home today too!

And So It Begins....

Every year I start my Christmas decorating with my china. The decorations all fit in one box and it is the perfect place to begin.

I simply LOVE blown glass ornaments. My Mom, Grandmother and Great-grandfather all decorated their trees with these Christmas marvels, and I'm lucky enough to carry on the tradition.

My Christmas Rabbit. I don't remember the origins of him now, but I'm quite sure he was a gift from Mom. She always finds the best things!

A treasured piece of china given to me by a favorite aunt.

The china pattern is Rose Bouquet by Johnson Brothers. Inside it is one of my favorite blown glass ornaments. I don't really know why I love this ornament so much, it just speaks to me.

A little purse my Mom bought me in a tiny shop in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. She thought I didn't know she bought it, but I did! I have mentioned that I like pink, right?

Christmas "Wreath"

A few Christmases ago, when the money seemed to be extra tight, and I was sick with a cold, I just couldn't bring myself to spend the $15.00 it cost to buy a wreath for my door. So in desperation, out I went dressed warmly and with pruners in hand and headed for the woods. I cut boughs of spruce, fir, white pine, red pine, beach branches with their papery brown leaves still attached and wild rose hips from the roses that thrive along the side of the road. I wired them together with snare wire and attached a recycled bow from a special present from the year before and ta da, a tradition emerged! Now every year I look forward to making my special Christmas "Wreath".